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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22394545">Like Fireworks On The Fourth Of July</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiliconAngel/pseuds/SiliconAngel'>SiliconAngel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:55:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,643</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22394545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiliconAngel/pseuds/SiliconAngel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Carmen and Julia are a warlock and a cleric worshipping opposing gods. They are supposed to hate each other, but they can't help but fall in love. Their gods discover this heresy, and stage executions for each of them.</p><p>Written for the Carmen X Julia Discord server. Title taken from the song Executioner by Nicole Dollanganger.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Like Fireworks On The Fourth Of July</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <strong>Prasioliticus, High City of the Emerald Star</strong> </em>
</p><p>"Warlock Carmenia Sandieg."</p><p>The voice thundered across the sanctum as the Necromancer with stained glasses spoke.</p><p>"Assigned to the 7th Emerald Host as member of Commander Brunati's advisoral retinue."</p><p>Many cloaked figures stood in the seats that lined the way from the entrance to the Throne of the Emerald Star itself.</p><p>"You have been charged with colluding with the enemy, unauthorized theft of confidential information, and abandonment of your vows of service to the Emerald Star. How do you plead?"</p><p>"Guilty."</p><p>Surprise spread throughout the ranks of the assembled followers of the Emerald Star. Hushed whispers conversed with each other about the utter arrogance that this traitor exuded. She would admit to the crimes against the Viridescent Lord, and she would be proud of it? Sheer stupidity, surely!</p><p>"Well, my fellows," spoke the white-haired Sorcerer, "it would seem that we have our work cut out for us. The traitor has admitted her transgressions, meaning we can proceed with the punishment. If, of course, that is alright with you, my lord."</p><p>The entire sanctum was now focused on the entity which resided upon the towering throne of crystal that glowed a sickly green colour. The entity itself, a massive giant clad in armour that sported the faces of every mortal that had ever defied him.</p><p>"I have nothing against that. Proceed," came the earth-shaking reply.</p><p>A clacking sound signalled the opening of a door to Carmenia's right. From it emerged a bathtub being carried via telepathy by a Kinetimancer. He placed the tub between Carmen and the table at which the Vermarine Council sat. Carmenia recognised the Kinetimancer. It was Jeaniss Paule, one of her friends from her days in the training grounds of Prasioliticus. He gave her an apologetic nod. They may have come to blows over the fact that she turned her back on the Viridescent Lord, but even he didn't agree with their method of punishment. Alas, what could he do? The Emerald Star was too powerful, even with a single snap of his fingers, he could obliterate everyone in this room if he wanted to. Therefore, resistance was futile. Besides, he didn't want to leave his lover, Antonius, in mourning over his death.</p><p>As soon as Jeaniss left the sanctum, the Emerald Star extended his hand. From his index finger fell a drop of emerald energy that reforged itself into a solid object when it entered the tub, efore quickly dissolving into a liquid sunstance that shimmered like green lightning. Netherwater, the vilest, most volatile substance there was, and Carmenia knew exactly what the Viridescent Lord wanted of her.</p><p>"Get in, traitor."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>Dorima, Grand Cathedral of the Order of Evilhunters</em> </strong>
</p><p>"Julianna."</p><p>Light emanated from the cathedral's many windows. The images potrayed on the stained glass depicted various scenes of warriors clad in silver blue slaying monstruos beings ranging from demons to dragons. And soon, a traitor would number among them.</p><p>"You really thought that I wouldn't notice your little fiasco. You <em>actually</em> thought that. Pathetic, I must say."</p><p>The woman, known only as the Chieftain, was standing in front of the young cleric in her ceremonial robes. She was the Seraphian Prime, the highest ranking of all Seraphians and the absolute closest to their god, Gehowath, the Master of Light.</p><p>"I did what was right," the cleric spoke. "If you had let me finish what I was in the middle of with Carmenia, we could have ended the war."</p><p>The Chieftain adopted an amused expression.</p><p>"Ended the war? Julianna, don't you realise? The entire point of the war is that it must go on! How else is the Order supposed to justify its existence? Once we finally defeat the Emerald Star, then what? The people will start wondering why we're still in power, and then rebellions will spring up, and then we will lose our support! If we continue this way, we will never have to abdicate!"</p><p>Of course. Julianna had suspected what the Order's true motives might be ever since she had made friends with the Warlock Carmenia, but what the Chieftain had just said confirmed it. The war was never about defeating evil. It was about maintaining selfishness.</p><p>"Wait, why are you telling me this if I am just a lowly Principal?"</p><p>The Chieftain cast her hand. From it jumped a blinding light that burned into the floor, transforming into a bone-white fire that radiated in geometric shapes instead of flames. Aetherfire, the holiest, most sacred substance there was, and Julianna knew exactly what the Seraphian Prime wanted of her.</p><p>"Get in, traitor."</p><hr/><p>Carmenia lay in the tub of netherwater in her undershirt and pants, her robe discarded on the floor. The vile substance had absolutely no effect on her, there was no pain, no suffering, just a young Warlock relaxing in a pleasant bath as she drew circles in the liquid, before throwing a bit of the stuff onto the crowd below, which quickly retreated to avoid being dissolved. The rest of the people in the sanctum had backed away from her, while the Vermarine Council simply stared in shock. The Emerald Star, on the other hand, was alertedly sitting, facing forward in his chair while his face had an expression of absolute terror.</p><p>"No," The Viridescent Lord said.</p><p>"No, no, no, no, it cannot be. I ended your kind millenia ago. You are all dead, DEAD I TELL YOU!!!"</p><p>The ground began to crack from the power of the god's shouting, and panic began to take a hold on the assembled followers.</p><p>"Actually, I'm not what you think I am. I'm still Human, like I always was."</p><p>Carmenia turned directly to face the Vermarine Council, the supreme commanders of the Emerald Star's empire, made up of Commanders Brunati, Gunerh Malastorm, Cleuo and Saraya Bellux.</p><p>"Only difference is, I'm free."</p><hr/><p>Julianna stood in the aetherfire in her clerical dress, her staff standing upright thanks to its balancing magic. The holy power had absolutely no effect on her, there was no purification, no annihilation, just a young Cleric tenderly playing with the geometric flames, before inhaling the fire and then blowing it directly into the Chieftain's face. The Seraphian Prime dodged the attack, while remaining stunned by this display of defiance that shouldn't be possible.</p><p>"Impossible," the older woman said.</p><p>"This is, you, I, your people are supposed to be DEAD!!!"</p><p>Two falchions of light formed in her hands.</p><p>"I can assure you, I am quite Human."</p><p>Julianna used her powers to gather the aetherfire in her palms.</p><p>"And you are the true scum of the earth."</p><hr/><p>Carmenia and Julianna had both decided to go directly to Aardvark Park in the small settlement of Beantown after each of their little performances. They both saw each other while walking to the only bench in the park. Having sat down, they locked eyes. Julianna was the first to speak.</p><p>"How are you still alive?"</p><p>"Honestly, I have no idea. I just realised that I wasn't dying from the netherwater, and pretended it was something I was used to. I even said that it's because I am a Human, except I'm free."</p><p>Julianna chuckled: "What!? I also bullshitted my way through my execution! I even called the Seraphian Prime the true scum of the earth!"</p><p>"Ohohoh, holy shit! You serious?"</p><p>"Oh, I indeed am!"</p><p>Carmen laughed like a child on their birthday. But, there was still something nagging at her mind.</p><p>"How the fuck did we survive?"</p><p>There was silence. Both of them searched for an answer, digging through their memories of all the various spells they both knew. Suddenly, there was an idea.</p><p>Julianna spoke: "The ritual, it wasn't complete. The spells we used were also nothing either of us had seen. Maybe they affected us somehow."</p><p>Carmenia pondered on the thought for a moment. "You ever wanna finish that thing? I mean, currently the forces of both Good and Evil think we're some strange beings that can't be killed. The Emerald Star even said something about how he 'killed my people' or something like that."</p><p>"The Chieftain said that 'my people were supposed to be dead.'"</p><p>Silence came again.</p><p>"Who were they talking about?"</p><p>Carmenia answered: "Whoever they were, I think it may have something to do with the ritual. Still have your part of the list of ingredients?"</p><p>Julianna reached for her pocket and produced from it a piece of parchment that seemed more like yellow collage that someone had burned, that's how old it was.</p><p>Carmenia pulled out her piece of the list, and the two brought the pieces together.</p><p>"Ready for another prop hunt?", asked Julianna.</p><p>"Of course, love, but first, how about dinner? I hear there's a nice little restaurant here, they serve crepes. Your favourite, right?"</p><p>Julianna blushed. "How did you know?"</p><p>Carmen simply stood and extended her hand. "Come along and I'll tell you."</p><hr/><p>It was almost midnight, but Carmenia and Julianna didn't care. They were in a bed in some motel room they had rented for the night, laying in each other's embrace. Julianna was telling Carmenia all about the history of some ancient civilisation that had appearently mastered magic to a never-seen degree. Carmenia was listening closely, paying attention to the sugar-sweet voice of the woman she loved. They never discussed the potential of a relationship, but it seemed as if they didn't need to. Their communication was perfect, any arguments they had were over in literally seconds. They just worked so well together!</p><p>Soon, even Julianna started to feel tired, and fell asleep while mouthing something that seemed like the word 'love'. Carmenia couldn't help but feel warm, and fuzzy. She loved those feelings, as she didn't have nearly enough of them in her childhood. Eventually, Carmenia also sensed her eyes subconsciously closing.</p><p>That night, they both dreamed of black sheep and pancakes.</p>
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